Running around at incredible speeds can wear out even the most sprightly of young cheetahs.

But far from taking time out for a quick cat nap poor Juba was in bed for an entirely different reason.

That's because the nine-month-old feline had to endure an anaesthetic and an hour long surgery to help fix its fractured leg.

Having been carried in to the operating theatre by zoo keeper Andy Wolfenden, it took three specialists to operate on the wounded cub.

Led by Rob Pettitt from the University of Liverpool, vet Livia Benato and anaestethtic nurse Tanya Grubb tended to the Chester Zoo resident for its lengthy surgery.

But following the successful operation Juba was up and running again after a metal plate was inserted into its right ankle.

In a statement on Chester Zoo's website, vet Steve Unwin said: 'We believe the fracture has been caused by a weakness in Juba’s leg, which has been aggravated by the rough and tumble antics of young cubs.

'Cats are adept at hiding any discomfort but we are fortunate that we are able to keep a very close eye on our animals and so quickly picked up that something wasn’t quite right.